Empowerment of a HIV/AIDS Women’s Group through Mangulukeni Fish Farm: A Case Study from Namibia

In 2001, the Government of the Republic of Namibia (GRN), through the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) introduced Namibia’s Aquaculture policy, Towards Responsible Development of Aquaculture. The policy called for the “promotion and development of responsible and sustainable aquaculture”. The purpose was to provide a legal/institutional framework for the aquaculture industry to contribute to food security and poverty reduction through employment and to attract foreign investment. In order to stimulate interest in fish farming, the GRN spearheaded aquaculture pilot projects in different regions of the country. In the inland areas, the interest was on fresh water aquaculture where eight fish farms were established in the north and north-eastern regions, farming three spot tilapia (Oreochromis andersonii) and the African sharp tooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus). The farms were to be under the technical supervision of the MFMR together with the community members who benefit from farm profits. An integrated aquaculture fish farming approach was adopted. For the coastal towns, the interest was mostly in commercial ventures for export, such as oysters to South Africa, Europe and Asia, abalone to Asia and seaweed to Asia.